Below are some common mistakes to avoid when tracking Hybrid-Agile projects. In addition, avoidance such mistakes can give you right data and hence reports.
Mistake – 1: Not Setting the Status Date!
While tracking, setting a status date is a must. Many forget to do it, and I’ve seen it repeatedly. In the CHAMP certification course, I’ve emphasized it frequently.
It takes a matter of seconds to set the status or data date, and that makes tracking systematic.
Mistake – 2: Not differentiating Traditional and Agile Tasks.
As you proceed with a Hybrid-Agile project, you are likely to have thousands of tasks to be managed by a number of resources—human, physical, asset, material, among others.
It’s always good practice to clearly differentiate and segregate such tasks. Later on, when you manage and report, it’ll prove to be immensely valuable.
Mistake – 3: Not using the Planning Boards.
If you’re using Scrum to follow Agile in Hybrid-Agile projects, there will definitely be a Sprint Planning Board. If the software tool doesn’t provide it, then don’t use that tool.
Now, when you don’t use the Sprint Planning Board(s) but directly update the tasks in the Gantt Chart view, you’ll face a number of problems. For example, you won’t get the data properly updated, including the Board Status!
Note: For Hybrid-Kanban, the creation, usage, and management of boards will be different.
Mistake – 4: Not Customizing the Board States.
This is another mistake you must avoid. If you have five workflow states, then use five boards. If you have three, then use three boards. Use them, but don’t overcomplicate it.
Boards have other uses, such as linking states with % Complete values, reporting, and of course, clear visualization.
Mistake – 5: Not Using the Visual Indicators and Bars.
Visual indicators and bars are given for your benefit. A large number of visual indicators and bars should be available while tracking. MS Project Agile, which is specifically used in CHAMP, has a large number of them. Other software tools such as Primavera P6 also provide them, though P6 doesn’t support Agile.
When you have visual indicators, bars, and boards, use them abundantly.
Mistake – 6: Not Baselining the Hybrid Project.
Baselining is needed for traditional project management. Without baselining, there is no mathematical way to know the progress. And nobody can really dispute pure mathematics.
However, for the Agile part, you may not need baselining, except when mandated.
Do note that the baselining part is quite tricky. It becomes trickier when multiple baselines are involved. You’ve to be very careful in this regard.
Mistake – 7: Not Tracking Variances for Traditional Parts.
Variance tracking and analysis are part and parcel of Waterfall projects. You’ve to do it and also do the reporting. This is linked to baselining, which has to be clearly and consciously done.
Agile elements with iterations, however, need not have variance tracking, except where customer or regulatory requirements mandate it.
Mistake – 8: Not Having the Right Team Structure.
One of the key ingredients of a project’s delivery success is the team structure. The team structure should be clear with little hierarchy. And you must keep in mind the way delivery happens in traditional and Agile approaches.
Mistake – 9: Not Following the Principles of Hybrid-Agile Management.
Principles are very important to be followed in any approach. The CHAMP course informs this explicitly. In fact, I’ve published two articles in this regard. You can read them here and here.
Mistake – 10: Not Using a Combined View.
A combined view consisting of both the traditional and Agile parts is a powerful one. But many don’t know how to use it! This view gives a snapshot of the entire project in a quick time. Of course, it requires proficiency to track in such ways.
The CHAMP certification (see here) uses these views frequently and demonstrates them with a large number of practical exercises with solution files, so that you can master them.
CHAMP Reviews and Success Stories:
- CHAMP Course: Excellent One for Mastering MS Project in both Traditional and Agile Environments
- CHAMP Success Story: A Niche Certification –Never Seen Anything Like this Before!
- CHAMP Success Story: One of the Best Hybrid-Agile Certification Courses I Ever Attended
ManagementYogi's CHAMP Certification Course:
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